This article, written by Todd Preston, President of the Magoffin County Historical Society, was taken from the April 8, 2010 issue of THE SALYERSVILLE INDEPENDENT newspaper.

            I was privileged to attend the tree planting ceremony conducted by the Sesquicentennial Committee in Ramey Park recently.  Although there was a fair crowd attending on a beautiful spring morning, there should have been many times the crowd.  Folks, we are celebrating Magoffin County’s 150^th birthday!  Already 1/3 of the year is gone and we need to get more people involved and working to make this a year to remember!

            There is one project that everyone can get involved in and that is writing some history of your family, your community, your church, your business, etc.  The history of a local church was read yesterday at the tree setting ceremony and we wondered if your church history has been put into print.  The book of material about our county that we are working on in conjunction with the county judge and mayor’s offices is coming along well but we understand only enough material to fill about 100 pages has been received and typed into the manuscript.  There should be much more.  We hope those of you who have not submitted any material as of yet will go through your collection of pictures and then write something so that your great-great grandchildren will not wonder why their ancestor did not get anything into print!  You may submit your material via email at [email protected], mail to Magoffin County Historical Society, Box 222, Salyersville, KY 41465; bring it in to our location at 191 South Church Street in Salyersville, KY or to the Magoffin County Judge’s office.  Your material may be handwritten, typed or if you want to use a tape recorder to tell your story, we will get that transcribed and into printed form.  Pictures will be returned to you.

            Without too much bragging, this old “might-nigh” eighty-two year old man-child has tried to clear up the Big Half Mountain/Puncheon battlefield site single-handedly and I’ve made a pretty good dent in the job.  We want the Civil War re-enactors that are coming to the site to enjoy their visit.

            The Civil War Reenactment is on for this weekend and we hope you will attend. Bring lawn chairs for this is an outdoor event.  You are invited to attend the reenactments, the ceremony for the Stephen Howard marker, first Sheriff of Magoffin County, the bluegrass pickin’ and singin’ and especially the outdoor church service on the grounds on Sunday the 11^th at 12 p.m. which will be conducted by the re-enactor’s chaplain from Tennessee.  We invite every church in our county to dismiss their services at their regular place of worship that day and attend…we could even have a baptism in Ol’ Licking!

            The ladies Civil War Ball is creating a great deal of excitement. This will be held at the South Magoffin Elementary School and is the first ever for our county. 

            We are expecting re-enactors from all over the south, north, east and west complete with their own settler’s wagons, canons, etc. 

            We have a chapter of the Sons of the Confederacy camp here in our county of which I am a member.  Comrade Randall Manns is the commander and we would like to have more active members and try to form a tri-county camp of Johnson, Morgan and Magoffin. Let us hear from prospective members.

            A great deal of the future success of these types of events will depend on how well our county welcomes, treats and shows interest in this re-enactment and its participants. We are planning another at the Gardner Farm this fall, plus another at South Magoffin next year and perhaps for several years after.

            We are even dreaming of a permanent Civil War park!

            Excitement is in the air as spring has finally sprung!  The spring flowering shrubs and flowers are blooming, the robins are out in full force, our yards are being mowed and we hope the snow shovels can be stored away. 

            Work is progressing on the third volume of our Veteran’s book began several years ago. The latest volume will begin with Higgins and continue through part of the surnames that begin with -M-.  We expect to be able to announce its completion in the near future.

            Remember this weekend to attend as much of the Civil War reenactment activities as you can.  The Stephen Howard marker dedication will be Friday evening at dusk, April 9^th, the battle and the Civil War Ball as well as music is on Saturday, the 10^th, another reenactment will be on the 11^th along with community church services.